Book excerpt: With a wealth of information and tested advice, this problem-solving treasure gives gardeners every-thing they need to do battle with garden pests, diseases, and weeds—with safe, natural solutions. Combining a troubleshooting approach with encyclopedic coverage and drawing on the most up-to-date research on biological and non- or low-toxic controls, Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver features: • more than 60 vegetables, organized alphabetically from asparagus to zucchini • individual pest entries on the 30 most common insect pests and how to combat them • individual disease entries on the 30 most common vegetable plant diseases—including symptoms and causes and ways to keep plants disease-free • a problem-solving approach to such favorite gardening topics as seed-starting, soil, weather, watering, crop rotation, fertilizing, transplanting, and season extension • "Beyond the Basics" sidebars for those willing to go the extra mile to eradicate a problem in the garden in a safe and natural way With numerous tips on prevention so gardeners can spend less time putting out fires and focus instead on producing higher-yielding and more attractive gardens, this will quickly become the trusted companion of every vegetable gardener.